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FORTY-FIFTH  ANNIVERSARY 


O F 


THE  SETTLEMENT 


v» 


REV.  EDWARD  BUXTON 


Pastor  or tie  seconi  Cnpiatiiial  curd  otBosoiwn, 


Now  the  Congregational  Church  of  Webster, 

AND  MARKING  HIS  RETIREMENT  FROM  THE 
ACTIVE  DUTIES  OF  THE  MINISTRY, 


DECEMBER  13,  1882. 


CONCORD : 

PRINTED  BY  THE  REPUBLICAN  PRESS  ASSOCIATION. 

1883. 


% 


THE  LIBRARY 
OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY  Of  ILLINOIS 


18  3 7. 


1882. 


FORTY-FIFTH  ANNIVERSARY 


THE  SETTLEMENT 

O F 

REV.  EDWARD  EUXTON 


Pastor  of  the  Second  Congregational  Clmrcli  of  Boscawen, 


Now  the  Congregational  Church  of  Webster, 

AND  MARKING  HIS  RETIREMENT  FROM  THE 
ACTIVE  DUTIES  OF  THE  MINISTRY, 


DECEMBER  13,  1882. 


CONCORD : 

PRINTED  BY  THE  REPUBLICAN  PRESS  ASSOCIATION. 

I 883. 


vs 


535-3 

Till 


Committee  of  Publication: 

JOHN  C.  PEARSON,  of  Boscawen, 
SHERMAN  LITTLE,  of  Webster, 
WILLIAM  W.  BURBANK,  “ 
JAMES  L.  GERRISH,  “ 

J.  E.  PECKER,  of  Concord. 


BURTON  HIST.  COLLECTION 
DETROIT 

FXCHANGE  DUPI  !f  ATF 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2017  with  funding  from 

University  of  Illinois  Urbana-Champaign  Alternates 


I 


https://archive.org/details/fortyfifthanniveOOyapa 


SKETCH  OF  REY.  MR.  BUXTON. 


Rev.  Edward  Buxton  was  born  in  New  Boston, 
N.  H.,  August  17,  1803.  He  was  educated  at  Phillips 
Exeter  Academy,  and  was  afterwards  preceptor  of 
the  academy  in  Greenland.  He  studied  theology 
with  Rev.  Samuel  W.  Clark,  of  Greenland,  and  was 
ordained  to  the  ministry  in  that  town  April  10,  1836. 
He  preached,  at  Rochester  for  a few  months  ; after- 
wards at  Dorchester  and  Whitefield,  and  was  installed 
over  the  Congregational  church  in  Webster,  Decem- 
ber 13,  1837.  He  succeeded  Rev.  Ebenezer  Price, 
a.  m.,  who  was  the  first  pastor  of  the  church,  and 
whose  connection  with  it  was  dissolved  by  mutual 
council,  May  10,  1837,  after  a pastorate  of  almost 
thirty-three  years.  In  1876  Rev.  Mr.  Buxton  was 
elected  a delegate  to  the  convention  for  the  revision 
of  the  state  constitution.  As  superintending  school 
committee  he  has  taken  great  interest  in  the  cause 
of  education,  and  has  given  individual  instruction  to 
many  young  ladies  and  gentlemen.  He  has  been 
thrice  married, — first,  to  Miss  Elizabeth  McFarland, 
daughter  of  Rev.  Asa  McFarland,  d.  d.,  of  Concord ; 
second,  to  Mrs.  Lois  Jewett,  of  Laconia;  and  third, 
to  Mrs.  Louise  Jane  (Dix)  Pillsbury,  widow  of  Gen. 
Moody  A.  Pillsbury,  daughter  of  Col.  Timothy  Dix, 
and  sister  of  Major-General  and  Governor  John  A. 
Dix,  of  New  York.  Mrs.  Buxton  is  now  living. 


FORTY-FIFTH  ANNIVERSARY. 


The  celebration  of  the  forty-fifth  anniversary  of 
the  settlement  of  Rev.  Edward  Buxton  over  the 
Congregational  church  in  Webster,  formerly  the 
Second  Congregational  church  in  Boscawen,  and 
marking  his  retirement  from  the  active  duties  of  the 
ministry,  occurred  December  13,  1882.  The  pro- 
priety of  observing  this  event  began  to  be  discussed 
some  months  in  advance  by  resident  members  of 
the  church  and  parish.  The  movement  resulted  in 
calling  an  informal  meeting  of  all  interested  persons, 
at  which  the  general  plan  of  the  celebration  was 
adopted,  and  the  following  committee  of  arrange- 
ments chosen : 

Ephraim  Little, 

William  W.  Burbank, 

Dea.  Henry  H.  Gerrish, 

Henry  L.  Dodge, 

Moody  A.  Pillsbury. 

The  committee  subsequently  issued  a printed  cir- 
cular of  invitation,  also  containing  the  programme  of 
exercises.  Copies  of  the  above  were  mailed  to  all 
former  members  of  the  church  and  society,  and  to  all 
other  former  residents  whose  addresses  could  be  ob- 
tained. The  alacrity  with  which  the  people  of  the 


8 


town,  whether  connected  with  the  society  or  not, 
proffered  their  services,  and  the  earnestness  with 
which  they  labored  to  make  the  affair  a success,  were 
exceedingly  gratifying  to  Father  Buxton,  as  well  as 
to  the  people  of  his  charge.  At  the  same  time,  there 
occurred  the  propriety  of  presenting  to  him  a sub- 
stantial token  of  regard,  and  generous  contributions 
were  soon  tendered.  This  proposition  was  men- 
tioned in  the  circular  sent  out,  and  Dea.  Henry  H. 
Gerrish  was  named  as  the  person  to  whom  people 
from  abroad  might  send  subscriptions. 

In  preparation  for  the  event,  the  ancient  church 
(a  view  of  which  is  given)  was  decorated  in  an  at- 
tractive and  tasteful  manner.  In  the  rear  and  over 
the  pulpit  was  the  motto  in  evergreen,  “ Our  Pas- 
tor : he  points  to  Heaven  and  leads  the  way.”  Be- 
low was  a crown,  and  the  figures  “ 1837-1882.” 
On  the  front  of  the  opposite  gallery  was  the  word 
“ Immanuel on  the  right,  “ Behold,  thy  King  com- 
eth  and  on  the  left,  “ Christ  the  Lord.”  From  the 
star  in  the  centre  of  the  ceiling  lines  of  evergreen 
radiated  to  the  corners  of  the  gallery,  and  were 
looped  along  its  front.  The  pulpit  and  its  surround- 
ings were  adorned  with  bouquets  and  flowering 
plants. 

For  some  days  previous,  the  good  ladies  of  the 
town  were  busily  engaged  in  preparing  articles  of 
food  for  a collation,  which  were  carried  to  the  chapel 
and  placed  on  tables  in  the  gallery.  The  general 
committee  also  made  arrangements  for  the  further 
entertainment  of  visitors  who  might  desire  to  remain 
in  town  over  night. 


9 


THE  DAY 

opened  with  cold  and  threatening  weather,  and  just 
before  noon  a heavy  snow-storm  set  in  which  con- 
tinued into  the  evening.  The  hour  set  for  the 
exercises  to  begin  was  2 p.  m.?  and,  notwithstanding 
the  storm  and  heavy  roads,  there  was  a large  attend- 
ance of  Webster  people,  while  surrounding  places 
were  all  represented,  even  as  far  as  and  including 
Concord.  A particularly  gratifying  feature  was  the 
good  attendance  of  aged  persons  who  had  known 
Father  Buxton  during  his  entire  pastorate. 

The  gathering  was  called  to  order  by  Ephraim 
Little,  Chairman  of  the  Committee  and  President  of 
the  Day,  who  briefly  stated  the  object  for  which  they 
had  assembled,  extended  a kind  welcome  to  all,  and 
expressed  his  gratification  at  the  good  number  pres- 
ent. The  choir  then  sang  the  anthem,  “The  Earth 
is  the  Lord’s,  and  the  fulness  thereof.” 

Prayer  was  offered  by  Rev.  Frank  Haley,  m.  d.,  of 
the  First  Congregational  church  of  Boscawen. 


HISTORICAL  ADDRESS. 


BY  REV.  E.  BUXTON. 


As  I look  on  this  assembly  my  mind  is  impressed 
with  the  remembrance  of  that  which  filled  this  house 
at  my  installation  as  pastor  of  this  church  forty-five 
years  ago  this  day  and  hour.  How  different  is  this 
assembly  from  that,  only  a small  proportion  of  which 
are  still  in  the  land  of  the  living  ; and  how  different  are 
my  condition  and  circumstances  now  from  what  they 
were,  when,  being  examined  as  a candidate  for  instal- 
lation, I answered  the  searching  questions  which  were 
put  to  me  by  the  ecclesiastical  council  that  installed 
me  as  pastor  of  this  church.  Then  I was  anxiously 
anticipating  the  future  under  a solemn  sense  of  the 
work  on  which  I was  about  to  enter,  and  of  the 
responsibilities  which  would  soon  rest  on  me.  Now 
I am  reviewing  that  work  and  the  bearing  of  those 
responsibilities  as  matter  of  historic  interest.  I still 
live,  while  the  voices  which  were  heard  in  my  exam- 
ination and  installation  services  are  all  silent  in  death. 
The  members  of  that  ecclesiastical  council  have  all 
been  transferred  from  the  church  on  earth  to  the 
church  in  heaven.  But  who  can  say  that  they  are  not 
with  us,  regarding  with  lively  interest  the  services  of 
this  occasion? 

Oh ! yes,  here  they  come.  They  are  passing  before 


my  mind,  and  I will  introduce  them  to  you.  Here 
comes  my  old  friend,  Rev.  William  Patrick,  forty 
years  the  faithful,  ever-cheery,  and  beloved  pastor  of 
the  church  in  Canterbury.  He  was  moderator  of 
the  council,  and  offered  the  installing  prayer.  And 
here  is  Rev.  Moses  Kimball,  twelve  years  pastor  of 
the  church  in  Hopkinton.  He  was  scribe  of  the 
council.  Here,  also,  is  Rev.  Benjamin  F.  Foster, 
nearly  thirteen  years  pastor  of  the  church  in  Salis- 
bury. To  him  was  assigned  the  reading  of  the  Scrip- 
tures and  the  invocation.  And  here  is  my  excellent 
friend,  Rev.  Samuel  W.  Clark,  eighteen  years  pastor 
of  the  church  in . Greenland.  His  pastoral  labors 
were  closed  by  sickness,  which  brought  him  calmly 
and  peacefully  to  the  grave.  When  he  perceived 
that  he  was  dying,  he  said  to  his  wife,  “ My  dear,  God 
is  come,”  and  took  leave  of  her.  His  brother  Will- 
iam coming  in  at  the  instant  offered  a prayer  at  his 
bedside,  at  the  close  of  which  the  dying  man,  with 
the  palsy  of  death  on  his  lips,  said  feebly,  “ I thank 
you.”  These  dying  words  indicate  the  spirit  of  his 
life.  He  was  an  affectionate  and  kind-hearted  man. 
He  preached  my  installation  sermon. 

Here,  also,  is  Rev.  Amos  Blanchard,  nearly  three 
years  pastor  of  the  church  in  Warner,  and  subse- 
quently of  that  in  Meriden.  He  offered  the  intro- 
ductory prayer.  Here,  also,  is  Rev.  Nathaniel  Bou- 
ton, d.  d.,  “whose  praise  is  in  the  gospel  throughout 
all  the  churches.”  He  was  about  forty  years  pastor  of 
the  First  Church  in  Concord.  He  gave  the  address 
to  the  church.  Here,  also,  is  Rev.  Caleb  B.  Tracy, 
fourteen  years  settled  in  East  Boscawen  ; and  Rev. 


i3 


Asa  P.  Tenney,  for  a long  time  pastor  of  the  church 
in  West  Concord. 

Such  were  the  pastors  that  constituted  the  ecclesi- 
astical council  which  installed  me  over  this  church. 
They,  together  with  their  delegates,  have  all  passed 
away  from  earth,  to  mingle,  we  trust,  with  the  spirits 
of  the  just  in  heaven.  While  I think  of  them  the  feel- 
ing comes  over  me  to  say,  “When  shall  I wake  and 
find  me  there?”  There  I should  meet  a large  pro- 
portion of  those  who  received  me  as  their  pastor  at 
my  installation.  The  church  then  consisted  of  one 
hundred  and  thirty-nine  members,  of  whom  one  hun- 
dred and  ten  are  in  their  graves,  as  to  their  mortal 
part ; while,  as  we  trust,  their  souls,  being  absent 
from  the  body,  are  present  with  the  Lord.  There  is 
with  them  their  former  beloved  minister,  Rev.  Eben- 
ezer  Price,  with  whom  I spent  more  than  twenty  years 
of  my  pastorate,  during  most  of  which  time  he  super- 
intended our  Sabbath-school.  My  intercourse  with 
him  was  ever  in  entire  harmony  and  cordiality.  He 
most  kindly  recognized  me  as  pastor  of  the  church. 
Among  the  last  words  which  he  ever  spoke  to  me  he 
mingled  expressions  of  affectionate  regard,  calling 
me  his  dear  pastor.  He  was  indeed  a lovely  speci- 
men of  what  an  ex-pastor  should  be.  He  came  to 
his  grave  in  a full  age,  “like  as  a shock  of  corn  cometh 
in  in  his  season.”  Without  doubt  he  has  many  souls 
as  the  seals  of  his  ministry  and  “ crown  of  his  rejoic- 
ing in  the  presence  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  at  his 
coming.” 

In  taking  a retrospective  view  of  my  pastorate,  I 
must  regard  it  chiefly  in  its  spiritual  nature,  respon- 


H 


sibilities,  and  results.  So  far  as  I have  acted  in  ac- 
cordance with  the  divine  purpose  respecting  it  I have 
served  him  who  has  said,  “ My  kingdom  is  not  of  this 
world.”  Here  has  been  emphatically  my  life  work. 
I recognize  the  divine  purpose  in  the  whole  provi- 
dential process  by  which  I was  inclined  to  it,  pre- 
pared for  it,  brought  into  it,  and  have  been  kept  in 
it  through  so  many  years.  This  divine  purpose  was 
first  indicated  by  the  fact  that  in  my  childhood  my 
father  consecrated  me  to  the  work  of  the  gospel  min- 
istry. He  said*  that  one  of  his  sons  must  be  a min- 
ister of  the  gospel,  and  that  I must  be  that  one. 

Early  in  my  childhood  I was  taught  the  Assembly’s 
Shorter  Catechism,  and  was  made  to  feel  my  need  of 
a new  heart.  My  spiritual  enlightenment  was  grad- 
ual, and  often  obscured  by  the  temptations  and  trials 
which  beset  my  way  in  early  life.  Then  a painful 
impediment  of  speech  seemed  to  preclude  the  idea  of 
my  ever  preaching  the  gospel.  When,  therefore,  I 
came  to  choose  a profession  for  life  I selected  medi- 
cine, but  was  prevented  from  entering  on  the  prac- 
tice of  it  by  sickness  brought  on  by  severe  applica- 
tion to  study.  On  measurably  recovering  my  health 
I engaged  in  teaching.  While  connected  with  the 
academy  in  Greenland,  of  this  state,  where  my  friend 
Rev.  S.  W.  Clark  was  pastor  of  the  church,  I super- 
intended the  Sabbath-school,  and  in  his  absence  from 
his  people  I was  left  so  much  in  charge  of  them  as 
to  conduct  their  meetings,  reading  sermons  to  them 
on  the  Sabbath.  Finding  that  I could  perform  such 
service  acceptably,  I felt  that  I was  called  to  the 
work  of  preaching  the  gospel.  I therefore  studied 


i5 


theology,  and  was  licensed  to  preach  by  the  Piscataqua 
Association,  and  labored  some  six  months  at  Roches- 
ter in  this  state.  I was  then  ordained  as  an  evan- 
gelist for  the  service  of  the  New  Hampshire  Home 
Missionary  Society,  and  preached  about  a year  in 
Lancaster,  Dalton,  and  Whitefield,  in  Coos  county. 
I was  then  invited  by  this  church  to  preach  to  them 
as  a candidate  for  settlement  with  them,  and  soon 
after  accepted  a call  to  become  their  pastor.  This 
led  to  my  installation,  December  13,  1837. 

From  that  period  to  the  present  my  purpose  of 
heart,  and  my  experience  under  the  trials  and  diffi- 
culties of  my  position,  have  ever  kept  me  in  sympa- 
thy with  Paul’s  declaration  to  the  Corinthian  church, 
“And  I,  brethren,  when -I  came  to  you,  came  not  with 
excellency  of  speech  or  of  wisdom,  declaring  unto 
you  the  testimony  of  God ; for  I determined  not  to 
know  anything  among  you  save  Jesus  Christ  and 
him  crucified  : and  I was  with  you  in  weakness  and 
in  fear  and  in  much  trembling.” 

When  I came  into  this  pastorate  the  peace  of  the 
church  was  disturbed  by  conflicting  yiews  and  feel- 
ings, especially  on  the  subject  of  American  slavery. 
Though  those  conflicting  elements  were  apparently 
quieted,  their  influence  has  retarded  the  progress  of 
the  church  ever  since. 

But  we  have  had  several  seasons  of  deep  religious 
interest  and  spiritual  ingathering.  There  have  been 
added  to  the  church  152  by  profession,  and  38  by  let- 
ter; 88  have  been  dismissed,  7 excluded,  and  116 
have  died.  I have  baptized  152  infants  and  34 
adults.  I have  solemnized  148  marriages. 


i6 


In  retiring  from  the  active  duties  of  the  pastorate, 
I feel  that  it  is  incumbent  on  me  to  express  my  appre- 
ciation of  the  kindness  and  faithfulness  with  which 
this  church  and  society  have  ever  treated  me.  They 
have  always  received  me  to  their  dwellings  with 
much  respect  and  kindness ; they  have  thrown  the 
veil  of  charity  over  my  shortcomings  and  errors ; 
they  have  attended  on  my  ministrations  with  marked 
attention  and  candor ; they  have  promptly  paid  me 
my  salary,  and  added  thereto  many  valuable  dona- 
tions. I thank  the  people  of  Webster  for  the  esteem 
and  kindness  with  which  they  have  invariably  treated 
me.  I thank  the  children  and  youth  for  the  respect- 
ful and  affectionate  courtesy  which  they  have  ever 
extended  to  me.  They  can  scarcely  realize  how 
much  good  they  have  done  me  by  thus  admitting  me 
into  their  sympathies.  I love  the  people  of  Web- 
ster, and  shall  never  cease  to  pray  that  the  blessing 
of  God  may  rest  on  them. 

The  choir  and  congregation  sang  the  hymn, 
“ How  firm  a foundation.” 

In  behalf  of  the  people,  Charles  Carleton  Coffin, 
a.  m.,  of  Boston,  a native  of  Boscawen,  delivered 
the  following  address : 


THE  LIBRARY 
OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY  Of  ILLINOIS 


ADDRESS. 


We  meet  to-day  to  commemorate  two  events, — 
the  organization  of  this  church  seventy-eight  years 
ago,  and  the  settlement  of  him  who,  on  December 
13,  1837,  began  his  labors  as  pastor,  and  who,  in  the 
ripeness  of  years,  after  nearly  half  a century  of  ser- 
vice, resigns  the  cares  and  labors  of  the  pastoral 
office.  It  will  be  instructive,  I doubt  not,  on  this 
occasion,  to  briefly  review  the  history  of  the  church. 

Previous  to  1804,  professing  Christians  residing 
west  of  Beaver-dam  brook  were  members  of  the 
Boscawen  church  formed  October  8,  1740.  One  of 
the  conditions  of  the  grant  of  land  to  the  proprietors 
of  Contoocook  was,  that  one  eighty-fourth  part  of 
the  land  should  be  set  aside  for  a parsonage,  and 
one  additional  eighty-fourth  for  the  support  of  a 
minister.  It  was  further  conditioned  that  “ a learned 
and  orthodox  minister”  should  be  settled  within  the 
space  of  four  years. 

The  polity  of  the  churches  of  the  New  Testament, 
adopted  by  the  Pilgrims,  making  every  associated 
body  of  believers  a church,  with  power  to  regulate  its 
affairs,  independently  of  bishop,  priest,  or  pope,  by 
a majority  vote,  had  been  adopted  by  the  settlers  of 
New  England.  The  Puritan  settlers  had  gone  fur- 
ther, and  had  made  the  church  the  state.  The  town 
2 


i8 


was  under  obligation  to  support  the  preaching  of  the 
gospel. 

Whoever  studies  the  rise  of  the  Puritans  will  see 
everywhere  through  their  history  an  all-pervading 
sense  of  moral  obligation.  They  owed  allegiance  to 
Almighty  God.  They  made  the  state,  therefore, 
theocratic.  Each  town  was  under  obligation  to  sup- 
port a minister.  The  minister  had  a claim  upon  the 
town  for  his  salary,  and  could  invoke  the  power  of 
the  law  in  case  of  delinquency  on  the  part  of  the 
town.  Under  such  an  arrangement  there  were  towns 
in  which  preaching  was  maintained  even  when  there 
was  no  church  organization. 

The  settlers  of  Boscawen  reared  their  log  meeting- 
house on  the  Plain,  and  buried  their  dead  around  it, 
calling  Rev.  Phinehas  Stevens,  a graduate  of  Har- 
vard, to  be  their  minister,  who  maintained  that  rela- 
tion, greatly  beloved  by  the  people,  till  his  death  in 
1757.  He  shared  all  their  toils  and  hardships,  shoul- 
dering his  gun  and  going  upon  weary  marches  in 
pursuit  of  savage  foes. 

The  movement  of  population  westward  to  Water 
street,  High  street,  and  the  families  west  of  Black- 
water,  necessitated  the  building  of  a larger  meeting- 
house in  a more  central  locality  in  1769,  near  the 
burial-ground  on  the  road  leading  from  Water  street 
to  the  Plain,  which,  till  1792,  was  the  one  place  of 
worship  for  all  the  citizens  of  the  town. 

At  the  close  of  the  Revolution  probably  there  were 
not  more  than  twenty  legal  voters  within  the  limits 
of  the  town  of  Webster ; but  during  the  succeeding 
decade  there  was  a large  influx  of  population,  so 


J9 


great  that  in  1791  we  find  seventy  voters  residing 
west  of  Beaver-dam  brook  petitioning  for  a new 
town  to  bear  the  name  of  Bristol.  It  is  probable  that 
there  were  from  two  hundred  and  fifty  to  three  hun- 
dred inhabitants,  who,  to  attend  meeting,  must  make 
their  way  along  the  winding  paths  blazed  through 
the  forests,  over  roads  from  which  the  rocks  had  not 
been  removed. 

In  the  bright  mid-summer  days,  when  the  woods 
were  resonant  with  the  songs  of  birds,  when  the 
wild  flowers  were  blooming  in  the  meadows,  the 
weekly  Sabbath  journey  on  horseback,  or  even  on 
foot,  may  not  have  been  regarded  by  the  sturdy  men 
and  women  of  that  day  as  any  great  hardship  ; but 
in  the  short  December  day,  in  midwinter,  when  the 
snow  was  lying  breast  deep  in  the  woods,  or  piled 
in  drifts  along  the  fences,  and  the  mercury  at  zero, 
great  must  have  been  the  longing  for  religious  ser- 
vice, and  lofty  the  sense  of  moral  obligation,  on  the 
part  of  Eliphalet  Kilborn,  living  on  the  bank  of  the 
Upper  Blackwater,  or  Enoch  Little,  senior,  on  Little 
hill,  to  make  the  toilsome  journey  to  the  distant 
meeting-house.  The  sun  would  be  sinking  behind 
the  Sunapee  hills,  and  the  twilight  deepening,  before 
they  could  reach  their  homes. 

Although  the  meeting-house  was  so  far  away,  in 
summer  almost  the  entire  population  of  the  town 
assembled  on  Sunday.  It  was  the  habit  of  the  time. 
Possibly  there  were  other  motives  for  attending  meet- 
ing than  a sense  of  moral  obligation.  A century  ago 
there  was  no  daily,  no  weekly  mail,  no  post-office,  no 
means  of  conveying  information  other  than  by  special 


20 


messenger  on  urgent  public  business.  The  meeting- 
house, therefore,  became  the  chief  centre  for  the  dis- 
semination of  news,  the  news-exchange,  where,  on 
Sunday  noon,  all  could  hear  what  had  transpired 
during  the  week. 

Possibly  the  young  men  thought  not  so  much  of 
the  words  of  truth  which  might  fall  from  the  lips  of 
the  minister,  as  of  the  bright  eyes  and  fair  faces  that 
perchance  might  beam  upon  them  from  the  crowded 
congregation. 

With  the  coming  of  winter  there  was  diminished 
attendance,  more  staying  at  home.  Sunday,  there- 
fore, in  winter,  became  in  a measure  only  a day  of 
rest  from  toil. 

We  are  to  remember  that  they  had  few  books  ; that 
there  were  wanting  aids  to  mental  and  moral  culture. 
There  is  no  road  so  easy  as  that  broad  way  which 
leads  downward.  The  people  living  west  of  Beaver 
Dam  comprehended  that  unless  their  children  attend- 
ed meeting  regularly  there  would  be  a lowering  of 
the  sense  of  moral  obligation.  The  welfare  of  the 
community  demanded  another  place  of  worship. 
Undoubtedly  the  building  of  a mill  near  that  now 
owned  by  W.  W.  Burbank,  making  the  locality  a cen- 
tre for  business,  had  some  weight  in  deciding  the  lo- 
cation of  the  meeting-house,  now  the  town-house, 
erected  in  1791,  the  town  providing  the  frame,  indi- 
viduals boarding  the  house,  and  finishing  and  own- 
ing their  pews.  The  people  of  all  the  surrounding 
towns  came  to  the  raising.  Somehow  everybody, 
whether  attending  meeting  or  not,  made  a point  of 
being  present  at  the  raising  of  a meeting-house. 


the  library 
or  THE 

UNIVERSITY  Of  ILLINOIS 


r- 


Possibly  they  were  actuated  by  mixed  motives, — to 
help  on  the  cause  of  religion,  and  at  the  same  time 
partaking  of  the  plentiful  supply  of  rum  furnished 
on  such  occasions.  It  was  estimated  that  more  than 
one  thousand  persons  were  present  at  the  raising. 

From  1791  to  1804  religious  services  were  held  in 
the  newly  erected  house  on  alternate  Sabbaths  by 
Rev.  Mr.  Wood.  Under  such  an  arrangement  the 
people  of  Water  street,  High  street,  and  those  on 
Corser  hill  could  attend  service  every  Sunday  with- 
out great  inconvenience ; but  those  residing  on  Little 
hill,  White  Plain,  and  on  Pond  hill,  and  those  on 
Fish  street,  Boscawen  Plain,  and  Fisherville,  could 
only  attend  service  on  alternate  Sundays. 

The  burning  of  the  lower  house  in  1798,  and  the 
construction  of  the  new  edifice  the  next  year  on  Bos- 
cawen Plain  by  an  organized  society,  necessitated  the 
inauguration  of  a new  order  of  things, — the  forma- 
tion of  the  Westerly  Religious  Society  and  the  volun- 
tary support  of  the  minister,  the  members  consenting 
to  be  taxed  according  to  the  valuation  of  their  prop- 
erty. 

The  time  had  come  for  the  formation  of  a 
church,  and  we  find  Benjamin  Sweat,  Edward  Gerald, 
Thomas  Kilborn,  Paul  Clark,  Ezekiel  Morse,  Samuel 
Pearson,  Sarah  Call,  Sarah  Sweatt,  Anna  Kilburn,  and 
Mary  Morse,  six  men  and  four  women,  associating 
themselves  as  a distinct  church,  September  26,  1804. 
The  council  of  ministers  and  delegates  assembled 
in  the  house  now  the  residence  of  Henry  L.  Dodge, 
for  the  settlement  of  Rev.  Ebenezer  Price  as  pastor. 
Of  ministers  there  were  Rev.  Walter  Harris  of  Dun 


22 


barton,  warm-hearted,  zealous,  fervent,  able, — whom 
I once  heard  preach  with  great  power  in  the  Old 
North  church  in  Concord, — Rev.  Eli  Smith  of  Hop- 
kinton,  Rev.  Thomas  Worcester  of  Salisbury,  Rev. 
Mr.  Hidden  of  Tamworth,  Rev.  Moses  Sawyer  of 
Henniker,  Rev.  Wm.  Patrick  of  Canterbury,  Rev. 
Samuel  Wood  of  the  first  church  of  Boscawen. 

Although  the  population  had  largely  increased, 
although  new  roads  had  been  laid  out  and  the  old 
ones  greatly  improved,  the  journey  to  and  from  the 
meeting-house  on  Sunday  was  no  holiday  affair, 
especially  to  the  residents  of  Bashan. 

There  was  no  direct  highway  from  Sweatt’s  mills, 
as  now,  to  that  section  of  the  town, — none  to  Dingit 
Corner.  We  may  think  of  Moses  Gerrish  and  wife, 
in  their  attendance  upon  meeting,  riding  to  Dingit 
Corner  up  Pleasant  street  to  Mutton  road,  thence 
over  Corser  hill  to  the  place  of  worship, — a seven- 
mile  ride,  the  wife  on  the  pillion  behind  her  hus- 
band, with  an  infant  in  her  arms.  Comfortless  such 
a journey  on  rainy  days  and  in  winter  ! 

Allow  me  to  present  a picture  of  a Sabbath  in 
Webster  three  fourths  of  a century  ago.  No  bell 
summons  the  people,  but  they  come  at  the  appointed 
hour, — from  the  north,  Dea.  Eliphalet  Kilborn,  Na- 
than Pearson,  and  George  Stone  ; from  Battle  street, 
Joseph  and  Benjamin  Couch  and  Dea.  Benjamin 
Sweatt ; from  Water  street,  Capt.  Peter  Kimball,  stal- 
wart in  stature,  wounded  at  Bennington,  Joshua  Jack- 
man,  Cutting  Noyes,  performer  on  the  bass-viol, 
Silas  Call,  Daniel  Pillsbury,  and  widow  Rebecca  Cof- 
fin ; from  High  street,  Mr.  Morse,  Joseph  Ames,  and 


23 


John  Flanders  ; from  Pleasant  street,  David  and  Jon- 
athan Corser,  Thomas  Kilborn,  Jonathan  Thurston, 
and  Nicholas  Noyes;  from  Bashan,  William  Danforth, 
Benjamin  Severance,  and  Moses  Gerrish  ; from  Little 
hill,  Noah,  Friend,  Joseph,  Jesse,  Enoch,  and  Ben- 
jamin Little,  energetic  sons  of  Enoch  Little  ; also 
Caleb  Knight,  from  the  farm  now  owned  by  George 
and  Cyrus  Stone;  Moses  Coffin,  from  the  present 
residence  of  Jabez  Abbot ; Jeremiah  Gerrish,  from  the 
present  home  of  Charles  Gliten  ; from  White  Plain, 
Benjamin  Austin,  David  and  Thomas  Carter — these 
and  their  neighbors  on  horseback,  the  wife  upon  a 
pillion,  dismounting  at  the  horse-block.  In  imagina- 
tion we  see  Rev.  Mr.  Price,  with  a high  sense  of  the 
dignity  of  the  ministerial  office,  with  courtly  pres- 
ence, conducting  with  becoming  reverence  the  ser- 
vices of  the  day. 

Rev.  Mr.  Price  studied  theology  with  Rev.  Elihu 
Thayer,  of  Kingston.  It  was  the  era  of  long  ser- 
mons. The  people  expected  a long  sermon.  If  they 
did  not  receive  it,  they  were  hardly  getting  their 
money’s  worth.  We  need  not  wonder  if,  under  the 
fervor  of  the  hour,  the  preacher  became  oblivious  of 
the  flight  of  time,  and  that  it  was  some  minutes  past 
the  hour  of  twelve  when  the  forenoon  sermon  came 
to  an  end.  In  winter  there  was  no  fire  to  abate  the 
keenness  of  the  biting  air  nearer  than  the  hearth- 
stones of  Paul  Dodge  and  Samuel  Morse,  now  the 
residence  of  Wm.  Pearson.  Not  unfrequently  a fire 
was  kindled  around  the  great  pine  stumps  in  the 
adjoining  woods. 

It  was  the  period  of  horseback  riding.  Wagons 


24 


had  not  come  into  use.  When  the  ground  was  cov- 
ered with  snow,  some  of  the  people  came  to  meeting 
on  ox-sleds. 

It  was  the  custom  for  all  the  members  of  the  fam- 
ily to  attend  meeting,  children  in  arms,  even  the 
house-dog  keeping  company ; and  it  was  made  the 
duty  of  the  tithingman  to  keep  the  dogs  as  well  as 
the  boys  in  order. 

It  is  narrated  that  one  young  mother  carried  a 
pitcher  of  milk  to  feed  her  babe  ; that  a dog  scenting 
it  thrust  his  head  into  the  pitcher ; that  the  congre- 
gation was  suddenly  startled  by  a shrill  exclamation 
from  a female  voice,  “Get  out,  you  puppy!”  that 
the  mother,  confused  by  the  sudden  turning  of  heads, 
further  exclaimed,  “ Why,  I have  spoken  in  meeting  ; 
I keep  talking  all  the  time  ! ” that  the  little  dog,  the 
while  unable  to  withdraw  his  head  from  the  pitcher, 
was  making  doleful  howlings,  the  milk  streaming 
about  his  ears, — all  to  the  great  delight  of  the  boys 
in  the  gallery. 

The  years  1810-1815  was  a period  of  theological 
discussion  : The  Unitarian  movement,  having  its 
origin  in  Massachusetts,  swept  many  of  the  churches 
of  that  commonwealth  from  their  ancient  moorings. 
One  of  the  leaders  was  Rev.  Mr.  Worcester,  brother 
of  Rev.  Thomas  Worcester  of  Salisbury,  who  ac- 
cepted the  new  belief.  The  Salisbury  pulpit  put 
forth  the  doctrine  of  the  Unity,  discarding  the  belief 
in  the  Trinity.  This  pulpit  sent  out  its  bugle  notes 
for  the  old  faith  so  clearly,  that  a few  of  the  steadfast 
members  of  the  Salisbury  church,  led  by  Dr.  Job 
Wilson  and  wife,  attached  themselves  to  this  church. 


THE  LIBRARY 
OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY  Of  ILLINOIS 


ERECTED  1823. 


25 


We  get  a glimpse  of  the  times  from  Dea.  Enoch 
Little’s  diary,  Sept.  16,  1810:  “Mr.  Price  whipt  Mr. 
Worcester  to-day.” 

Though  the  church  was  in  no  way  affected  by  the 
movement  toward  Unitarianism,  there  had  been  for 
many  years  a dissenting  element  in  the  congregation. 
A portion  of  the  people  who  owned  pews  did  not 
accept  the  theological  beliefs  of  the  church.  Those 
dissenting  united  in  the  formation  of  the  Christian 
Union  Society.  A committee  appointed  by  the  town 
reported  that  the  amount  of  taxes  paid  by  the  mem- 
bers of  that  society  entitled  them  to  use  the  house 
one  fourth  part  of  the  time.  The  town  voted  to 
accept  the  report. 

The  Westerly  Religious  Society  questioned  the 
right  of  the  town  to  control  the  use  of  the  house, 
and  appealed  to  the  courts.  Pending  a decision,  the 
house  was  taken  possession  of  by  the  Christian 
Union  Society,  and  the  church  found  itself  without 
a home. 

There  was  much  bitterness  of  feeling  engendered 
for  the  moment.  Hard  words  were  used.  There 
was  coolness  between  old-time  friends,  but  out  of  the 
bitterness  came  a determination  to  rear  a new  house 
of  worship,  and  with  it  an  energy  that  was  the  praise 
of  even  those  who  had  not  exercised  the  largest  de- 
gree of  Christian  charity  in  the  premises. 

The  first  meeting  was  held  May  19,  1823,  and 
$500  subscribed  towards  procuring  the  frame  of  this 
edifice.  On  the  succeeding  week  there  was  a ringing 
of  axes  in  the  forests  along  the  Blackwater,  choppers 
and  hewers  waking  the  echoes  from  early  morn  till 


2 6 


dewy  eve.  On  July  3 the  frame  was  in  its  place. 
On  December  25  the  house  was  dedicated  with  ap- 
propriate religious  services.  For  fifty- nine  years  it 
has  been  your  church  home.  Through  all  the  period 
there  has  been  no  interim  of  public  worship,  save  on 
a very  few  tempestuous  days. 

It  was  a despondent  day,  that  Sunday  in  April, 
when  the  church  found  itself  without  a home ; but 
beyond  question  the  forcible  seizure  of  the  old  home 
was  one  of  the  best  blessings  that  ever  came  to  this 
church.  It  brought  unity,  determination,  zeal,  en- 
ergy. It  enforced  self-denial,  sacrifice, — awakened 
anew  the  sense  of  moral  obligation.  The  church  at 
once  became  strong  and  vigorous. 

Far  better  in  any  event  separation  than  contention. 
Is  there  a grander  scene  in  history  than  the  conduct 
of  Abraham  and  Lot  ? Three  score  years  have 
passed  since  this  house  was  erected,  and  through  all 
the  period  this  community  have  been  at  peace.  The 
bitterness  of  the  hour  quickly  passed,  and  to-day  every 
inhabitant  of  the  town  would  find  a welcome  within 
these  walls,  and  to  your  communion, — all  who  love 
the  Master,  irrespective  of  denominational  name. 

The  time  had  come  for  Christian  activity  in  benev- 
olence, in  missionary  effort.  The  lay  members  of 
the  church  up  to  that  period  had  taken  little  part  in 
church  meetings.  Weekly  conference  and  prayer- 
meetings  were  almost  unknown.  The  Thursday  lec- 
ture was  the  only  weekly  meeting. 

The  minister  was  expected  to  lead  and  direct  in 
all  church  work  ; — but  out  of  that  prayer-meeting,  by 
the  hay-stack  in  Williamstown,  Mass.,  held  by  Sam- 


27 


uel  J.  Mills  and  his  four  fellow-students  in  college  in 
1806,  had  come  the  American  Board.  Out  of  the 
resolve  made  in  Rev.  Mr.  Wood’s  parlor  in  1809,  on 
High  street,  by  nine  ministers,  to  circulate  four  thou- 
sand copies  of  the  little  pamphlet  entitled  “The 
Child’s  Memorial,”  had  come  the  American  Tract 
Society,  followed  by  the  Bible  Society  in  1816. 

The  year  1881  was  the  centennial  of  the  Sunday- 
school  movement  of  Robert  Raikes — the  effort  to 
induce  the  working  people  of  England  to  learn  to 
read  instead  of  spending  Sunday  in  drinking  rum, 
playing  games,  and  indulging  in  fighting. 

It  was  in  1810  that  Joanna  Prince  and  Hannah 
Hill,  of  Beverly,  Mass.,  school  teachers,  invited  the 
children  whom  they  taught  during  the  week  to  com- 
mit passages  of  Scripture  to  memory  to  be  recited 
on  Sunday — the  beginning  of  Sunday-school  instruc- 
tion in  America.  It  was  a new  idea,  an  innovation, 
which  did  not  meet  the  approbation  of  some  of  the 
ministers  of  the  period.  They  were  commanded  to 
keep  the  Sabbath  day  holy ; — would  it  not  be  break- 
ing the  ten  commandments  to  teach  a school  on  Sun- 
day ? The  ministers  discussed  the  question.  It  was 
the  theme  of  conversation  in  private  circles,  the  old 
men  shaking  their  heads,  the  young  men  advocating 
the  schools. 

It  was  probably  in  1816,  the  year  succeeding  a 
great  revival,  that  the  first  Sunday-schools  were  held 
in  this  town,  Sunday  evenings,  in  summer,  in  some  of 
the  school-districts,  the  boys  and  girls  standing  in  a 
class  with  their  toes  to  a crack  in  the  floor,  bowing 
and  courtesying  when  the  teacher  said  “Attention  !” 


28 


each  scholar  reciting  the  verses  learned  during  the 
week. 

I recall  the  anecdote  that  one  girl,  gifted  in  mem- 
orizing, went  on  for  nearly  an  hour,  till  the  wearied 
teacher  informed  her  that  he  would  hear  the  rest  the 
next  Sunday. 

Memory  goes  back  to  the  Sunday  noons  of  1830. 
The  general  Sunday-school  had  not  been  organized. 
I recall  a group  of  men  in  yonder  porch  eating  their 
dinners,  Daniel  Pillsbury  producing  a supply  of  green 
cucumbers  from  his  lofty  bell-crowned  hat  and  capa- 
cious pockets,  and  distributing  them  to  those  around, 
eating  them  without  salt  as  relishes  to  their  dough- 
nuts and  cheese.  The  young  men  are  in  the  horse- 
sheds  discussing  the  good  points  of  the  horses  and 
the  young  colts ; the  older  boys  are  hunting  birds’ 
nests  in  Mr.  Price’s  orchard,  or  helping  themselves  to 
caraway  seed  in  Daniel  Corser’s  garden. 

I recall  a dreary  winter  day.  No  stove  sends  out 
its  warmth.  The  sun  is  clouded  in — a blue  day, 
the  mercury  at  zero.  The  air  is  sharp  and  keen. 
Men  sit  with  their  coat  collars  about  their  ears,  wear- 
ing their  mittens,  their  breath  turning  to  frost  upon 
their  mufflers.  How  I envied  Stephen  Sweatt  with 
three  capes  to  his  surtout ! There  is  a constant  clat- 
tering of  boot-heels  as  the  people  thump  their  feet 
upon  the  floor  to  keep  the  blood  in  circulation. 

With  the  utterance  of  the  Amen  of  the  benediction 
there  is  a quick  movement  towards  the  neighboring 
houses, — women  and  girls  to  Rev.  Mr.  Price’s,  Hez- 
ekiah  Fellows’s,  and  Mr.  Fisk’s,  now  the  residence 
of  M.  A.  Pillsbury;  a crowd  of  men  and  boys  to  the 


29 


houses  of  Daniel  Corser,  the  residence  of  George 
Little,  to  Moses  Fellows’s,  the  home  of  our  pastor, 
to  Mr.  John  Danforth’s,  the  residence  of  Mr.  Heath. 
Some  leap  into  their  sleighs  and  ride  to  Dea.  James 
Kilborn’s,  the  residence  of  Mr.  Tilton.  In  every 
kitchen  great  fires  are  blazing.  In  that  of  Daniel 
Corser  I see  Benjamin  Little,  Esq.,  Thomas  Carter, 
and  several  other  men  advanced  in  years,  light  their 
pipes,  the  room  gradually  filling  with  a cloud  of 
tobacco-smoke.  Luncheons  are  eaten,  foot-stoves 
are  filled  with  live  coals,  and  when  the  bell  ceases  its 
tolling  the  people  are  in  their  places  patiently  to 
endure  a temperature  at  zero  from  one  till  three 
o’clock. 

Then  came  the  cold  ride  homeward,  the  blue-gray 
of  the  day  deepening  as  the  twilight  came  on  before 
those  living  farthest  from  meeting  finished  their 
dinners. 

In  the  evening  came  the  Catechism,  which  must  be 
rehearsed  from  “What  is  the  chief  end  of  man?” 
through  the  decrees  of  God,  justification,  adoption, 
effectual  calling,  and  all  the  rest.  I do  not  think  that 
I very  much  appreciated  then  the  hymn  by  Dr. 
Watts,  descriptive  of  the  Heavenly  Jerusalem, 

“ Where  Sabbaths  have  no  end.” 

In  1830  began  the  temperance  reformation.  I 
recall  the  agitation,  the  holding  of  temperance  meet- 
ings in  the  autumnal  evenings  in  this  house,  the 
speeches  of  Z.  G.  Whitman  in  opposition  and  of  Amos 
Couch,  on  Battle  street,  in  favor  of  temperance,  the 
earnest  protest  of  some  of  the  members  of  the  church 


30 


to  signing  a pledge,  or  to  the  passage  of  resolutions  ; 
not  that  they  were  not  themselves  temperate,  or  were 
opposed  to  temperance,  but  they  protested  against 
any  infringement  of  Christian  liberty. 

The  world  has  moved  during  the  fifty  years.  The 
bill  of  supplies  furnished  by  Hezekiah  and  Moses 
Fellows  at  the  raising  of  this  house  included  thirteen 
and  one  half  gallons  of  rum.  I am  disposed  to  believe 
that  if  all  the  rum  in  the  town  were  brought  together 
at  this  moment  it  would  not  much  exceed  that  quan- 
tity. 

The  question  arises,  How  much  has  this  church 
had  to  do  with  the  changes  in  the  drinking  habits  of 
the  community?  Would  this  people  be  as  sober  and 
temperate  as  to-day,  if  Benjamin  Sweattand  his  asso- 
ciates had  not  been  organized  as  a church  ? 

Let  us  pause  in  our  historical  review,  and  inquire 
briefly  as  to  the  meaning  of  the  church. 

We  think  of  it  as  instituted  by  Jesus  Christ  as  an 
agency  for  the  conversion  of  the  world  to  a belief  in 
him  as  its  Saviour ; as  a family  holding  sweet  and 
tender  relation  to  him  ; a family  whose  members  are 
recruited  on  earth  for  the  society  of  heaven. 

“ One  family  we  dwell  in  Him, 

One  church  above,  beneath — 

Though  now  divided  by  the  stream, 

The  narrow  stream  of  death. 

“One  army  of  the  living  God, 

To  his  command  we  bow : 

Part  of  the  host  have  crossed  the  flood, 

And  part  are  crossing  now.” 

It  seems  to  me  that  even  this  does  not  adequately 
express  the  meaning  of  the  establishment  of  the 


3 1 


church,  but  that  in  a higher  analysis  it  is  the  manifes- 
tation, the  concentration,  and,  if  I may  use  the  term, 
almost  the  incarnation  of  God’s  thoughts  and  plans 
for  the  welfare  of  the  world. 

The  last  quarter  of  a century  has  been  distinguished 
from  all  other  periods  of  history  by  the  inclination  of 
men  towards  socialism,  the  formation  of  mutual  aid 
and  cooperative  societies,  encampments,  fraternities, 
and  brotherhoods,  with  pass-words  and  signals  and 
mystic  rites.  It  is  a manifestation  of  the  longing  of 
the  race  to  secure  comfort  and  happiness,  and  to  pro- 
mote mutual  well-being.  It  seems  to  me  that  the 
church  has  not  as  yet  comprehended  the  meaning  of 
this  manifestation,  this  longing  for  association,  this 
calling  of  men  upon  each  other  for  a helping  hand. 

Oh ! how  infinitely  beyond  all  societies  for  mutual 
help  is  that  ideal  upon  which  the  church  of  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  is  founded — the  seeking  and  saving  of 
the  lost,  of  helping  those  who  have  no  power  to  help 
themselves.  It  is  the  unselfishness  of  the  incom- 
prehensible love  behind  the  Christian  ideal  that  is 
yet  to  win  this  world  to  Christ. 

Infinitely  beyond  all  charity  and  benevolence,  which 
spring  from  the  idea  of  mere  mutual  welfare,  is  that 
divine  announcement  in  the  chant  of  the  cherubim 
eighteen  hundred  years  ago  to  the  shepherds  of  Beth- 
lehem, at  the  birth  of  the  Saviour,  “ On  earth  peace, 

GOOD  WILL  TO  MEN.” 

What  a declaration  from  Him  who  formed  the 
church  : “I  came  to  seek  and  to  save  that  which  was 
lost!” 

Institutions  which  have  their  origin  in  the  tempo- 


32 


ral  needs  of  men,  when  the  purpose  is  complete  will 
cease  to  exist : the  church  of  Christ  is  the  only  organ- 
ization among  men  which  is  perpetual  and  eternal. 

The  time  may  possibly  come  when  this  pulpit  will 
be  silent  evermore,  when  there  will  be  no  worship- 
pers within  these  walls,  when  the  record  will  bear 
no  name  of  living  member  on  its  page  ; but  even 
then  it  will  not  cease  to  exist. 

The  science  of  biology,  which  treats  of  the  forces 
of  life,  recognizes  the  transmutation  of  moral  as  well 
as  physical  characteristics  from  generation  to  gener- 
ation. No  man  liveth  to  himself  alone.  Material 
things  decay  : they  perish  with  their  using.  We 
gather  riches  ; but  they  take  wings,  fire  burns  them, 
rust  destroys,  thieves  steal  them.  Goodness  endures. 
Moral  forces  never  can  perish  : they  are  not  born  to 
die.  In  their  nature  they  are  eternal. 

There  is  an  oft-quoted  but  greatly  misapplied  pas- 
sage from  Shakspeare, — 

“ The  evil  that  men  do  lives  after  them  ; 

The  good  is  oft  interred  with  their  bones.” 

It  is  from  the  harangue  of  the  insincere  and  intrigu- 
ing Marc  Antony  to  the  populace  over  the  dead  body 
of  the  murdered  Caesar.  At  best  it  is  but  a half  truth, 
while  its  philosophy  is  wholly  false.  The  great  mys- 
tery underlying  human  existence  is  the  conflict  of 
moral  forces,  the  existence  of  evil,  and  the  redemp- 
tion of  man.  If  it  be  true  that  the  good  which  we 
do  is  interred  in  the  grave  when  our  bodies  are  borne 
to  their  last  resting-place,  then  we  may  as  well  cease 
all  effort  for  the  final  redemption  of  the  world  from 


33 


sin.  If  it  be  true,  our  labor  for  the  building  up  of 
moral  agencies  has  been,  in  a great  measure,  in  vain. 
If  it  be  true,  the  Bible  is  false  and  Christianity  a 
failure.  If  it  be  true,  take  down  from  the  walls  of 
your  houses  those  heart-sustaining  mottoes,  sugges- 
tive of  peace  and  rest  and  immortality,  and  write 
instead,  for  time  and  for  eternity,  “No  hope  ! ” But 
it  is  not  true  : the  good  which  men  do  lives  after 
them.  The  writer  of  the  book  of  Revelation  recog- 
nizes the  great  law  as  one  of  the  crowning  glories  of 
the  redemption.  “ Blessed  are  the  dead  which  die  in 
the  Lord  from  henceforth  : Yea,  saith  the  Spirit,  that 
they  may  rest  from  their  labors ; and  their  works  do 
follow  them.” 

Generations  come  and  go,  advancing  and  passing 
away  like  the  waves  of  the  ocean  upon  the  pebbled 
shore.  We  perform  our  little  part,  and  disappear, 
often  depressed  in  spirit,  may  be,  as  we  descend  the 
vale  of  years,  that  we  have  accomplished  so  little, 
forgetting  that  God  has  so  arranged  his  economies 
that  whatever  we  do,  be  it  ever  so  little,  for  truth, 
justice,  liberty,  and  righteousness,  whatever  we  ac- 
complish for  the  well-being  of  our  fellow-men,  be- 
comes a vital,  celestial,  eternal  force.  It  is  of  divine 
and  heavenly  origin,  and  in  its  nature  imperishable. 
It  is  transmitted  from  generation  to  generation. 
Who  can  measure  the  odylic  force,  the  far-reach- 
ing, all-pervading  influence,  of  that  act  of  Benjamin 
Sweatt  and  his  nine  associates  in  the  house  of  Henry 
L.  Dodge,  September  26,  1804? 

In  physics  we  have  the  microscope  to  make  visible 
atoms  of  matter  of  inconceivable  smallness ; the  mi- 
3 


34 


crometer,  to  measure  infinite  distances  and  spaces ; 
the  telescope,  to  bring  to  view  myriads  of  suns  from 
the  unfathomable  deeps  of  heaven  ; — but  genius  never 
will  invent  nor  the  hand  of  man  construct  a micro- 
metric measure  that  can  determine  moral  force. 
Omnipotence  alone  keeps  record  of  the  weights  and 
measures  of  the  moral  and  spiritual  realm. 

Men  do  not  gather  figs  from  thistles.  Far  more 
intimate  and  subtle  are  the  relations  between  sow- 
ing and  reaping  in  the  moral  and  spiritual  realm  than 
in  the  physical.  We  sow  our  wheat,  but  the  midge 
destroys  it ; the  rust  disappoints  the  husbandman  ; the 
harvest  fails  ; but  no  mildew  ever  can  blight  sincere 
and  honest  endeavor  in  the  service  of  Almighty  God. 

Unrevealed  .to  human  eyes  are  God’s  harvest  sea- 
sons. Many  a sower  has  toiled  through  life  always 
sowing,  never  reaping,  never  bringing  home  a single 
sheaf,  going  down  to  the  grave  in  sadness,  feeling 
that  life  has  been  a failure. 

Without  doubt  Dea.  Benjamin  Sweatt,  a man  of 
prayer  and  of  earnest  endeavor,  ceasing  from  his 
earthly  labors  in  manhood’s  prime,  felt  in  spirit  that 
he  had  accomplished  nothing. 

Without  doubt  Dea.  Eliphalet  Kilborn,  attaining 
the  age  of  92,  counted  his  more  than  half  a century 
of  service  as  unprofitable  to  the  Lord. 

I recall  the  faltering  words  of  Father  Price,  in  his 
declining  years:  “ It  troubles  me  that  I have  accom- 
plished so  little.’’  It  is  the  truly  noble  that  make 
no  account  of  what  they  have  done.  But  how  far 
this  little  candle,  lighted  on  September  26,  1804, 
throws  its  radiant  beams ! 


35 


Would  Enoch  Corser  ever  have  been  the  power 
that  he  was  for  so  many  years  in  the  pulpits  of 
Loudon,  Northfield,  and  Epping,  if  this  candle  had 
never  been  lighted  ? Would  Jacob  Little  have  left  his 
impress  upon  all  central  Ohio  ? Would  his  brother 
Henry  have  been  a beloved  home  missionary,  or- 
ganizer of  thousands  of  Sunday-schools  and  scores 
of  churches,  if  this  church  had  not  been  organized  ? 
Would  Arthur  Little  to-day  be  occupying  an  ex- 
alted place  of  influence  and  power?  Would  there 
be  such  a catalogue  of  worthy  and  illustrious  names 
as  might  be  presented  of  self-denying,  earnest,  de- 
voted men  and  women,  who  have  gone  forth  from 
this  church  to  wield  their  influence  for  good  in  the 
crowded  city  where  good  and  evil  are  ever  waging 
mighty  war,  or  on  the  distant  prairies  forming  Sun- 
day-schools, sustaining  churches,  moulding  plastic 
minds,  sowing  seed  beside  all  waters  ? 

As  we  toss  the  pebble  into  the  placid  lake,  and 
behold  its  wavelets  roll  to  the  farthest  shore,  so 
shall  roll  on  forever,  through  time  and  through 
eternity,  the  results  that  have  come  from  that  sim- 
ple act  on  a September  afternoon  in  1804. 

Beneath  the  calm  waters  of  tropical  seas  ages 
ago  the  little  coral  insect  built  his  marble  cell,  lived 
his  brief  hour,  and  died.  How  insignificant,  how 
useless,  seemingly,  its  little  life ! Myriads,  count- 
less generations,  build  their  cells,  and  die.  Cen- 
turies roll  away,  and  then  islands  rise  from  the 
sea.  Palms  wave  in  the  summer  air,  birds  sing  in 
the  branches  of  stately  trees,  savages  rear  their 
huts  amid  the  dales.  The  missionary,  sent  forth  and 


36 


sustained  by  your  contributions,  comes  to  teach 
them  the  way  of  life.  So  God’s  harvest-time  comes — 
the  sowing  here,  the  reaping  there. 

This  church,  since  1830,  has  been  transmitting 
itself  over  all  the  land.  It  has  been  dividing  and 
distributing  itself,  transfusing  its  influence,  power, 
and  spirit  to  every  section  of  the  republic,  multi- 
plying its  moral  and  spiritual  force  for  the  earthly 
and  eternal  welfare  of  the  human  race.  Only 
through  distribution  and  multiplication  is  the  leaven 
of  the  kingdom  of  heaven  to  make  its  way,  and  the 
mustard-seed  become  the  spreading  tree  with  the 
birds  singing  in  its  branches. 

As  I stand  here  to-day  I behold  shadowy  faces  in 
all  these  pews.  They  are  angelic  faces  now,  trans- 
lated from  earth,  purified  in  the  air  of  heaven, — such 
faces  as  the  great  painter  Raphael  has  outlined  upon 
the  canvas  of  the  wonderful  picture  of  the  Madonna 
in  the  Dresden  gallery. 

Tuneful  voices  come  to  me  from  yonder  gallery, 
silent  evermore  on  earth,  but  rehearsing  these  many 
years  the  songs  sung  by  the  society  of  heaven. 

“Never  here,  forever  there, 

Where  all  parting,  pain,  and  care, 

And  death,  and  time  shall  disappear, — 

Forever  there,  but  never  here.” 


Forty-five  years  ago  this  13th  of  December,  be- 
loved pastor,  it  was  my  privilege  to  stand  in  yonder 
gallery  and  join  in  the  hymn  that  welcomed  you  to 
the  beginning  of  your  pastorate.  To-day  I deem  it 
a high  honor  to  be  present  on  this  commemorate 


37 


occasion,  when,  after  forty-five  years  of  service,  you 
resign  your  office  as  pastor. 

In  the  rotunda  of  the  capital  at  Washington  hangs 
a picture  of  the  most  impressive  scene  in  the  his- 
tory of  our  country, — of  Washington,  after  leading 
the  armies  of  the  United  States  through  their  eight 
years  struggle  to  victory  and  independence,  resign- 
ing his  commission,  and  becoming  once  more  a pri- 
vate citizen.  The  self-abnegation  of  that  act  has 
won  the  admiration  of  the  world. 

To-day  you  do  not  resign  your  commissipn  from 
the  great  Head  of  the  church  to  preach  the  gospel ; 
you  only  lay  down  the  burdens  and  cares  of  the 
ministerial  office.  Great  as  was  the  cause  which 
called  the  father  of  our  country  from  the  quiet  se- 
clusion of  his  home  on  the  banks  of  the  Potomac, 
how  incomparably  greater  that  to  which  you  have 
given  the  strength  of  your  life.  Through  all  the 
years,  you  have  had  but  one  object  in  view,  but 
one  desire — to  train  this  people  for  the  society  of 
heaven.  With  an  utter  abnegation  of  self,  you  have 
ever  sought  to  promote  their  earthly  and  eternal 
welfare.  You  have  looked  never  for  an  earthly  re- 
ward, for  you  have  been  animated  by  the  loftiest 
ideal  of  the  universe — to  seek  and  to  save  that 
which  was  lost. 

No  artist  may  portray  this  scene  of  to-day, — your 
retirement  from  the  sacred  office  which  you  have 
so  long  and  so  worthily  held  ; but,  oh  ! how  little 
do  we  know  what  pictures  are  hanging  up  yonder 
in  our  Fathers  hall  of  victories,  painted  by  celestial 
hands ! This  only  we  know,  that  the  victors  in 


38 


self-abnegation  shall  cast  down  their  crowns  and 
sing,  “ Not  unto  us,  but  unto  Him  be  all  the 
glory ! ” 

During  the  long  period  of  your  pastorate  you 
have  seen  many  changes.  The  tide  of  emigration 
had  just  begun  to  flow  outward,  when  in  1837  you 
became  the  minister  of  this  people.  You  have  seen 
members  of  this  honored  and  beloved  church,  on 
whom  you  relied  for  counsel  and  support,  depart 
one  by  one.  Without  doubt  you  have  at  times  felt 
a sinking  at  the  heart ; but  never  for  an  instant  has 
there  been  a faltering  in  your  labors.  Those  who 
remained  needed  all  the  more  your  care,  and  you 
have  given  it  with  untiring  devotion.  This  thought 
has  been  your  comfort  and  consolation,  that,  as  a 
gardener  from  single  parent  stems  fills  his  garden 
with  roses,  geraniums,  and  heliotrope,  till  the  sur- 
rounding atmosphere  is  fragrant  with  their  bloom- 
ing, so  from  this  garden  of  the  Lord  you  have  been 
sending  out  slips  which  are  putting  forth  their  blos- 
soms over  all  the  land. 

Since  you  began  your  pastorate  a generation  has 
passed  away.  Ah  ! how  many  times  have  you  per- 
formed the  last  sad  rites  for  those  who  were  very 
dear  to  you.  The  great  majority  have  gone  be- 
fore you  to  become  members  of  the  society  of  the 
redeemed.  Let  it  be  your  consolation  that  they 
are  there  to  bid  you  welcome  when  in  God’s  ap- 
pointed time  he  shall  call  you  thither. 

But,  dear  pastor,  you  will,  in  one  sense,  never 
die.  The  house  you  live  in,  the  earthly  tenement, 
may  waste  away,  but  you  yourself  will  only  pass  on. 


39 


\ 


\ 


Allow  me  to  repeat  the  words  of  Jacob  Little  to 
Father  Price  : 

“Mr.  Price,  you  will  never  die.  I have  received 
from  you  precepts,  doctrines,  feelings,  and  ways  of 
doing  good,  and  in  central  Ohio  I am  impressing 
them  on  a great  people.  Sabbath-school  teachers 
and  preachers  are  coming  up  in  my  congregation 
to  scatter  what  I have  received  from  your  lips,  and 
pass  it  to  the  next  generation.  What  you  have 
taught  by  example  and  precept  is  spreading  wider 
and  wider,  going  on  to  the  second  and  third  gen- 
eration, and  will  ever  keep  going,  so  that  you  will 
never  die.” 

“ Because  I live,  ye  shall  live  also,”  are  the  words 
of  him  to  whom  you  have  given  all  the  strength  of 
your  life. 

Beloved  pastor,  on  that  day  forty-five  years  ago, 
when  you  were  installed  as  pastor  of  this  church,  one 
of  your  ministerial  brethren  welcomed  you  with  the 
right  hand  of  fellowship  ; but  he  is  not  here.  One 
by  one  all  who  took  part  in  those  exercises  have  gone 
on  to  their  reward.  Allow  me,  therefore,  for  and  in 
behalf  of  the  people,  to  extend  once  more  to  you  the 
hand  of  that  abiding  friendship  ; and  I know  that  I do 
but  give  expression  to  the  united  wish  of  this  church 
and  people,  that  the  remaining  years  of  your  life,  be 
they  many  or  be  they  few,  may  be  full  of  peace  and 
joy,  crowned  with  the  best  of  heaven’s  blessings. 

In  behalf  of  the  pastors  of'  neighboring  churches, 
Rev.  J.  H.  Hoffman,  of  the  Congregational  society  in 
Henniker,  spoke  as  follows : 


40 


Mr.  Chairman  : We  read  of  sermons  in  stones, 
and  good  in  everything.  The  character  of  the  two 
preceding  addresses  is  such  that  I could  wish  I were 
not  here  to  speak. 

It  would  have  been  more  in  keeping  with  the  na- 
ture of  things  for  old  age,  “rich  in  story,”  to  speak 
in  behalf  of  the  neighboring  ministers  and  churches  ; 
but,  sir,  your  contemporaries  are  nearly  all  waiting 
to  address  to  you  good  wishes  “ over  there.” 

Age  is  no  dishonor.  The  public  mind,  under  God, 
declares  it.  The  Christian  children  of  the  present 
generation  will  not  cast  away  the  fathers  and  moth- 
ers, and  send  them  to  the  public  squares.  David, 
servant  of  God,  taught  that  one’s  last  days  may  be 
useful:  “When  I am  old  and  grey-headed,  O God, 
forsake  me  not,  until  I have  shewed  thy  strength 
unto  this  generation,  and  thy  power  to  every  one 
that  is  to  come.” 

There  is  strength  and  power  in  old  age.  It  is 
your  privilege,  reverend  sir,  still  to  show  the  strength 
and  power  of  your  God  to  this  generation  and  to 
every  one  that  is  to  come.  This  can  be  done  by  a 
cheerful  mien.  Father  Buxton,  you  have  grappled 
with  the  “ art  of  growing  old  beautifully,”  and  have 
succeeded  admirably. 

There  are  advantages,  and  disadvantages,  to  one  in 
mature  years.  Wilberforce  has  said,  “It  is  beauti- 
ful to  see  an  aged  person  contented  with  those  pleas- 
ures which  are  within  his  reach.”  A beautiful  life, 
as  the  years  fill  in,  cheerfully  takes  a lower  place. 
One  beautiful  thing  in  the  life  of  John  Quincy  Adams 
was,  that  after  being  president  of  the  United  States, 


41 


he  faithfully  served  in  the  lower  house  of  congress 
greatly  to  the  appreciation  of  the  people.  It  requires 
grace  to  step  down  the  ladder,  but  it  maybe  a grace- 
ful act.  Sir,  you  can  serve  in  the  lower  house  of 
congress,  and  to  acceptance. 

We  love  Richter.  Writing  upon  old  age  he  says, 
“A  truly  Christian  man  can  look  down  upon  the  au- 
tumn of  his  existence  : the  more  sand  that  has  passed 
through  the  hour-glass  of  life,  the  more  clearly  can 
he  see  through  the  empty  glass.” 

Some  philosopher  has  said,  “ It  is  pleasant  to 
grow  old,  with  good  health  and  a good  friend.”  You 
have  a good  friend  in  your  faithful  companion  ; you 
have  a good  friend  in  this  church  of  Christ ; you  have 
a ‘good  friend  in  the  township  of  Webster ; and  you 
have  a good  friend  in  your  Master. 

The  Levites  returned  from  the  warfare  of  service 
at  fifty,  but  by  counsel,  by  their  rich  experience,  they 
continued  to  be  of  great  benefit  to  the  younger  breth- 
ren. To  you,  father  in  the  gospel,  be  it  said,  “ It 
is  towards  evening  ; the  shadows  fall  along  your  way.” 
May  your  beautiful,  strong,  and  godly  old  age  be  a 
continual  inspiration  to  the  living. 

But,  sir,  I must  attend  to  my  duty.  It  is  all  said 
in  a single  sentence  : the  ministers  of  the  neighbor- 
ing churches  love  you,  revered  father. 

They  love  you,  first,  for  your  fidelity  to  God. 
There  is  at  present  a vast  amount  of  man  worship. 
Give  me  this  man  ! — oh,  let  me  sit  under  the  preach- 
ing of  some  famous  man  ! Daniel  was  loyal  to  God. 
You  have  been  true  to  God.  We  love  you  for  this. 

Second.  We  love  you  for  your  fidelity  to  this 


42 


church  of  Christ  and  to  the  church  universal.  Here 
you  have  sown  seed,  harrowed  it  in,  and  “ in  due 
season  ” seen  the  harvest.  Further,  in  your  fidelity 
to  this  church  you  have  set  us  a good  example,  in 
that  you  lived  beside  your  predecessor,  Rev.  Mr. 
Price,  for  twenty  years,  and  did  not  quarrel.  I see 
before  me  Rev.  Mr.  Gordon,  who  now  preaches  the 
gospel  from  this  pulpit ; — he  will  take  note  of  the 
above  fact,  and  not  fight  with  Father  Buxton. 

Third.  We  love  you  as  a defender  of  the  faith  once 
delivered,  one  that  was  good  enough  for  Abraham  to 
live  by  and  die  in,  one  that  “subdued  kingdoms, 
wrought  righteousness,  obtained  promises,  stopped 
the  mouths  of  lions,  quenched  the  violence  of  fire, 
escaped  the  edge  of  the  sword,  out  of  weakness  were 
made  strong,  waxed  valiant  in  fight,  turned  to  flight 
the  armies  of  the  aliens.” 

Fourth.  We  love  you  as  a guardian  of  the  public 
peace  and  welfare  in  general.  Mr.  Coffin  has  well 
spoken  of  this. 

Fifth.  We  love  you  as  a man  of  progressive  and 
intelligent  ideas  concerning  the  kingdom  of  Christ. 
Often  have  we  sat  at  your  feet,  as  we  have  met  to- 
gether to  talk  and  pray  of  and  for  the  kingdom  of 
our  Lord,  and  as  often  have  we  received  solid  in- 
struction. For  this  we  thank  you.  For  all  these 
things  we  love  you,  and  will  love  you  unto  the  end. 

Accept,  I pray  you,  the  heartiest  good  wishes  and 
a “ God  bless  you  ! ” from  the  ministers  who  labor  in 
the  neighboring  churches. 

The  hymn,  “ If  through  unruffled  seas,”  was  ren- 
dered by  the  choir. 


43 


PRESENTATION. 

Dea.  Gerrish,  from  the  committee,  stepped  forward 
and  made  a presentation  of  three  hundred  dollars  to 
Father  Buxton,  as  a testimonial  of  esteem  and  regard 
from  the  people  of  his  charge,  and  other  friends. 

Rev.  Mr.  Buxton  feelingly  returned  his  thanks  for 
the  generous  gift,  and  remarked  that  during  his  en- 
tire pastorate  his  salary  had  always  been  promptly 
paid. 

After  an  invitation  had  been  extended  to  all  to 
remain  and  partake  of  the  collation,  the  exercises  of 
the  afternoon  closed. 

INTERMISSION. 

In  the  gallery  a long  table  had  been  placed,  which 
was  laden  with  tempting  dishes  of  food,  and  pre- 
sented an  attractive  appearance.  Grace  was  said  by 
Rev.  Charles  E.  Gordon,  the  new  acting  pastor  of 
the  Webster  and  Salisbury  Congregational  churches, 
after  which  full  justice  was  done  to  the  many  good 
things  that  the  ladies  of  Webster  had  so  generously 
furnished.  A social  hour  then  followed,  with  intro- 
ductions and  the  renewal  of  old  acquaintances. 

EVENING. 

Upon  reassembling,  the  president  stated  that  he 
had  received  a large  number  of  letters  from  absent 
friends  who  were  unable  to  be  present.  He  first 
read  the  following  from  Rev.  Arthur  Little,  d.  d.,  of 
the  New  England  church,  Chicago  : 


44 


Chicago,  December  9,  1882. 
Gentlemen  of  the  Anniversary  Committee  : 

Brethren  and  Friends  : I was  greatly  delighted 
at  receiving  your  circular  announcing  your  purpose 
to  observe,  in  fitting  manner,  the  forty-fifth  anniver- 
sary of  Mr.  Buxton’s  settlement  among  you. 

It  would  surely  be  a mistake,  almost  a crime,  to 
allow  such  an  event  to  pass  without  special  emphasis. 
I should  like  to  be  there  in  person,  and  have  a hand 
and  voice  in  the  services. 

It  is  a significant  event.  Boscawen  used  to  enjoy 
the  unique  pleasure  of  having  a name  all  to  itself, 
duplicated  nowhere.  I doubt  if  the  event  you  are 
celebrating  to-day  can  be  anywhere  duplicated  in 
New  Hampshire  or  in  the  country.  I speak  now 
of  active  pastorates  continued  for  forty-five  years. 
There  have  been  a few  such,  and  even  a little  longer. 
I do  not,  at  this  moment,  recall  another  of  equal 
length  with  that  which  our  honored  and  beloved 
Father  Buxton  surrenders  to-night. 

Forty-five  years  ! And  what  years  they  have 
been  ! No  other  such  as  these  since  the  world 
began ! 

Mr.  Buxton  has  seen  more,  experienced  more, 
done  more,  lived  more,  enriched  himself  and  others 
more,  in  these  years  than  Methuselah  in  all  the  in- 
fantile, drowsy  centuries  of  his  existence. 

“ Better  fifty  years  of  Europe  than  a cycle  of  Cathay.” 

There  were  some  other  things  happening  in  Web- 
ster in  the  year  1837,  besides  the  settlement  of  the 


45 


minister,  which  have  been  of  considerable  importance 
to  me.  (Consult  the  Parish  Register.)  It  was  a 
great  year  for  that  town.  I am  thankful  for  it. 

But  it  is  a question  whether  it  would  have  been 
any  particular  advantage  to  one  to  have  been  born 
in  that  town,  or  to  have  spent  his  boyhood  in  it,  if 
there  had  been  no  settled  minister  there. 

I have  no  time,  this  hurried  Saturday  morning, 
adequately  to  express  my  interest  in  the  occasion, 
the  reasons  why  it  is  worthy  of  your  best  commem- 
oration, or  my  personal  indebtedness  to  the  noble 
man  of  God  who  is  compelled  by  your  kindness  and 
love  to  lay  aside,  for  a moment,  his  accustomed  mod- 
esty and  reserve,  and  become  the  central  figure  of 
attraction  for  the  hour.  He  honors  you  quite  as 
much  as  you  will  find  it  possible  to  honor  him. 
When  you  have  done  your  best,  brought  your  choic- 
est tokens  and  expressions  of  gratitude  and  appreci- 
ation, you  will  still  be  in  his  debt. 

The  money  value  of  such  a ministry  in  a country 
town  is  beyond  all  estimate.  The  intellectual,  moral, 
and  spiritual  value  can  only  be  computed  in  that  day 
when  God  shall  make  up  his  jewels. 

The  mere  fact  of  a man  staying  forty-five  years  in 
such  a town  as  Webster,  with  small  contact  with  the 
outside  world,  not  very  much  in  the  way  of  stimulus, 
and  yet  keeping  fresh,  active,  abreast  with  the  times, 
able  to  interest  her  people, — in  a word,  sustaining 
himself, — is  in  itself  a thing  truly  sublime. 

That  such  a thing  has  come  to  pass  is  a fact  alike 
creditable  to  pastor  and  people.  Both  are  to  be  con- 
gratulated. 


46 


The  Congregational  ministry  has  now  become  per- 
ipatetic, i.  e.,  a travelling  ministry.  We  speak  of  a 
settled  ministry,  and  yet  our  clergymen  stay  in  a 
given  place,  on  an  average,  hardly  as  long  as  the 
Methodists,  who  are  by  principle  itinerant.  The 
thought  of  permanance  ought  to  make  glad  your 
hearts  this  evening.  It  is  the  men  with  staying 
qualities  that  win. 

What  shall  we  say  of  Mr.  Buxton’s  work,  during 
the  almost  half  century  of  labor  among  you, — in 
the  homes,  in  the  schools,  in  the  church,  in  the 
Sunday-school,  in  the  town  at  large,  in  the  county, 
in  the  state  ? 

In  the  good  old  days  the  minister  used  to  make 
the  town.  Now  the  town  makes  the  minister;  and  a 
minister  is  measured  by  the  size  of  the  town  he  is  in. 
False  estimate ! Dr.  Emmons  was  larger  than  Frank- 
lin, Dr.  Hopkins  than  Newport,  Dr.  Edwards  than 
Northampton. 

Dr.  Buxton  (as  he  ought  to  be,  and  let  us  confer 
the  degree  to-night, — it  is  worth  just  as  much  by  vote 
of  parish  as  by  the  trustees  of  Dartmouth)  has  never 
been  confined  to  the  town  he  lived  in,  nor  dependent 
upon  it  for  his  sweep  of  influence  or  enviable  good 
name.  But  if  he  had  been,  it  were  ample  field  for 
all  his  energies  and  power.  For  forty-five  years  his 
hands  have  been  on  the  main-springs  and  centres  of 
good  influence  there.  Think  of  the  lives  which  he 
has  been  potential  in  shaping  for  good.  They  are 
not  all  in  Webster  now.  Many,  many  of  them  have 
gone  to  their  citizenship  in  the  “city  which  hath 
foundations,  whose  builder  and  maker  is  God.”  I can 


47 


recall  some  in  California,  in  Minnesota,  in  Iowa,  in 
Illinois,  in  Indiana,  in  Pennsylvania,  in  Massachu- 
setts, and  I doubt  not  they  are  to  be  found  in  almost 
every  state  in  the  Union.  No  ! The  man  who 
preaches  the  gospel  faithfully  for  forty-five  years  in 
a New  England  town  is  not  the  man  of  limited  range 
of  influence.  He  sweeps  the  continent,  if  not  the 
globe. 

Then,  too,  the  quality  of  Mr.  Buxton’s  service  must 
be  remembered.  No  man  was  ever  more  intoler- 
ant of  anything  superficial,  unreal,  pretentious.  It 
has  been  his  habit  to  go  to  the  bottom  and  look  after 
the  foundations.  He  had  little  patience  with  a poor 
arithmetic  lesson  or  a poor  Christian  experience.  He 
always  insisted  upon  thoroughness  in  both.  He  has 
always  been  wisely  jealous  of  soundness  in  doctrine, 
believing  this  the  best  way  to  secure  soundness  in 
life. 

I want  to  take  this  opportunity  to  thank  him  for 
his  faithfulness  in  hammering  the  doctrines  of  the 
Bible  into  me.  It  has  been  more  to  me  than  Ando- 
ver and  Princeton  combined, — among  other  reasons, 
because  it  came  earlier.  I fear  he  is  amongf  the  last 

o 

of  so-called  doctrinal  preachers. 

Now,  one  word  as  to  the  real  secret  of  Mr.  Bux- 
ton’s power  and  abiding  influence.  It  was  not  his 
preaching,  not  his  rare  mental  acumen,  not  any  great 
efforts  of  his,  not  any  one  signal  achievement, — not 
these.  It  is  all  summed  up  in  one  word, — his  life , 
his  blameless  life.  That  has  been  the  secret  of  his 
power.  It  has  been  the  man  behind  the  sermon  that 
has  given  potency  to  his  ministry.  Other  men  may 


48 


have  preached  more  eloquent  sermons  perhaps : no 
man  ever  lived  a more  eloquent  life.  Did  you  ever 
know  anybody  who  did  not,  at  least,  respect  him  ? 
Did  you  ever  hear  the  consistency  of  his  daily  life 
commented  upon  unfavorably  or  criticised  by  the  bit- 
terest foe  of  the  Christian  faith  ? Almost  everybody 
loves  him  ; almost  everybody  is  glad  to  see  him  and 
talk  with  him  ; they  like  to  hear  him  pray  in  the 
town-meeting. 

Everywhere  his  life  has  stood  for  righteousness, 
peace,  goodness,  gentleness,  and  whatever  beautifies 
the  home  and  blesses  a community.  It  may  be  said 
of  him  as  was  said  of  another, — 


“ Such  was  our  friend  : formed  on  the  good  old  plan, 

A true  and  brave  and  downright  honest  man. 

He  blew  no  trumpet  in  the  market-place, 

Nor  in  the  church  with  hypocritic  face 
Supplied  with  cant  the  lack  of  Christian  grace  ; 

Loathing  pretence,  he  did  with  cheerful  will 
What  others  talked  of,  while  their  hands  were  still. 

His  daily  prayer,  far  better  understood 
In  acts  than  words,  was  simply  doing  good. 

So  calm,  so  constant  was  his  rectitude 
That  by  its  loss  alone  we  knew  its  worth, 

And  feel  how  true  a man  has  walked  with  us  on  earth.” 


I must  close.  I have  n’t  said  what  I meant  to  say. 
My  heart  is  full.  A pleasant  evening  to  you.  Make 
my  hearty  congratulations  to  Father  Buxton.  The 
dear  Lord  bless  you  all. 

Affectionately  yours, 


ARTHUR  LITTLE. 


49 


Interesting  communications  were  also  presented 
from  Rev.  A.  W.  Fiske  of  Fisherville,  formerly  pas- 
tor of  the  Congregational  church  in  that  place  ; Rev. 
E.  H.  Greeley  of  Concord,  secretary  of  the  New 
Hampshire  Home  Missionary  Society ; Rev.  J.  Rol- 
lins of  Tilton,  formerly  of  the  Methodist  church  in 
Webster;  Rev.  John  Gerrish,  d.  d.,  a native  of  Bos- 
cawen,  and  wife,  of  Kansas,  111.  ; Rev.  Howard 
Moody  of  Andover,  previously  of  the  Congregational 
church  in  Canterbury ; Rev.  Pres.  Forrest  Shepard 
of  Norwich,  Conn.,  a native  of  Boscawen,  and  who 
was  baptized  by  Rev.  Ebenezer  Price  in  1806;  Rev. 
Levi  Little  of  Taunton,  Mass.,  who  was  born  in  Bos- 
cawen ; E.  Sewall  Price  of  Boston,  son  of  Rev.  Father 
Price ; Mrs.  C.  A.  Carroll  of  Jackson,  Mich.  ; Prof. 
Moses  G.  Farmer,  the  celebrated  electrician  of  Bos- 
ton ; John  P.  Farmer  of  Glyndon,  Minn. ; Dea.  Enoch 
Coffin  of  Beloit,  Mich. ; Miss  E.  M.  Buxton,  daughter 
of  Rev.  Father  Buxton,  and  Miss  Elizabeth  F.  Reed, 
of  Steubenville,  Ohio  ; Horace  Little  of  Ridgeway, 
Elk  county,  Penn.  ; Silas  C.  Stone,  Chas.  H.  Ames, 
son  of  Nathan  P.  Ames,  and  Mrs.  Eunice  F.  Pillsbury, 
of  Boston  ; Charles  S.  Pillsbury  of  Londonderry  ; 
Thomas  H.  Currie,  m.  d.,  of  Lebanon  ; A.  C.  Sweatt 
of  Fisherville  ; Gilman  Sweatt  of  Manchester ; Miss 
Vinie  Dodge  of  Winona,  Minn. ; Miss  Annette  Cogs- 
well of  New  York  city  ; Miss  Lydia  Corser  of  Derry; 
Joseph  A.  Little  of  West  Creek,  Lake  county,  la.  ; 
and  Walter  H.  Sargent  of  Bridgewater. 

The  following  poem,  written  by  Mrs.  J.  B.  Good- 
hue,  of  Webster,  was  read  by  Miss  Detta  Goodhue. 

4 


50 


What’s  the  meaning  of  the  gathering 
Of  the  people  here  to-night? 

Why  the  music  and  the  speeches? 

Why  this  brilliant,  cheery  light? 

Why  are  old  and  young  so  joyous — 
Happy  faces  all  aglow  ? 

Why  this  feasting?  We  can  tell  you, 
Stranger,  if  you’d  like  to  know. 

We  have  come  to  meet  our  pastor, 

From  each  hamlet,  vale,  and  hill, — 

Come  with  words  of  kindly  greeting, 

That  his  heart  with  joy  may  thrill. 

Years  ago  he  came  among  us, 

In  the  flush  of  manhood’s  prime, 

Ere  his  eye  had  lost  its  brightness, 

Or  his  locks  been  bleached  by  time : 

Came  to  dwell  among  this  people, 
Seeking  not  for  fame  or  gold, 

Only  like  a faithful  shepherd 

Gathering  lambs  within  the  fold. 

He  has  watched  them  from  their  cradles 
Through  their  childhood’s  happy  days, 

Cheered  them  on  in  ways  of  knowledge 
By  his  heartfelt  words  of  praise. 

He  has  watched  them  grow  to  manhood, 
Filled  with  dreams  of  wealth  and  fame, 

Tried  to  lead  their  footsteps  heavenward 
Through  the  precious  Saviour’s  name. 

By  the  bed  of  pain  and  anguish, 

Where  the  feeble  sufferer  lies, 

He  has  spoken  words  of  comfort, 
Pointing  upward  to  the  skies. 

In  the  homes  of  joy  and  gladness 
He  was  e’er  a welcome  guest : 

Loved  and  honored  by  the  parents, 

Little  children  round  him  pressed. 


5i 


Many  has  he  joined  in  wedlock, 

Calling  blessings  on  their  head  ; 

Many  times  has  bowed  in  sorrow, 
Grieving  o’er  the  early  dead. 

He  has  not  been  free  from  trouble  ; 
Death  has  oft  his  shadow  cast 

O’er  his  threshold,  and  forever 

From  his  sight  his  loved  have  passed. 

In  whatever  place  we’ve  found  him, 
He’s  been  faithful  to  his  trust, — 

Never  weary,  never  faltering, 

Worn  with  labor,  not  with  rust. 

Now  when  time  his  locks  has  whitened, 
Bowed  his  form  and  dimmed  his  eye, 

Meet  it  is  that  he  should  listen, 

Lay  his  heavy  labors  by. 

He  has  borne  the  toil  and  burden 
Of  the  noontide’s  fervid  heat : 

Now  as  draw  the  shades  around  him 
May  his  evening  rest  be  sweet. 

Those  who  first  gave  cordial  greeting, 
Nearly  all  have  gone  before, 

Waiting  now  to  bid  him  welcome 
As  he  nears  the  shining  shore.” 

Stranger  ! this  is  why  we’re  gathered 
Here  within  these  walls  to-night, — 

Why  with  happy  hearts  and  voices 
Each  and  all  as  one  unite 

In  a blessing  on  our  pastor, 

Who  from  labor  now  can  rest : 

Cherished  by  his  loving  people, 

May  his  last  days  be  his  best. 


52 


ADDRESSES. 

In  response  to  sentiments  read,  interesting  remarks 
were  made  by  Sherman  Little,  Hiram  G.  Stone,  Dea. 
H.  H.  Gerrish,  Dea.  Henry  F.  Pearson,  and  Tyler  C. 
Sweatt,  of  Webster,  and  by  Rev.  Mr.  Gordon,  Dea. 
T.  D.  Little,  and  Isaac  N.  Sawyer,  of  Salisbury. 

J.  E.  Pecker,  of  Concord,  formerly  of  Boscawen, 
stated  that  although  the  attendance  was  large,  yet 
there  were  many  not  present  whose  thoughts  would 
be  with  the  old  church  on  so  interesting  an  occasion; 
and  he  therefore  moved  that  a committee  of  five  be 
appointed  to  publish  the  proceedings.  He  did  not 
wish,  however,  to  be  made  chairman. 

The  motion  was  seconded  by  John  C.  Pearson  of 
Boscawen,  formerly  of  Webster,  and  carried  unan- 
imously. 

The  president  subsequently  announced  the  com- 
mittee to  be, — 

John  C.  Pearson,  of  Boscawen  ; William  W.  Bur- 
bank, Sherman  Little,  James  L.  Gerrish,  of  Webster; 
J.  E.  Pecker,  of  Concord. 

A poem,  written  by  Luther  B.  Little,  a.  b.,  a Dart- 
mouth College  graduate  of  1882,  now  of  Chicago, 
was  read  by  Miss  Sarah  E.  Sawyer. 


FOR  THE  FORTY-FIFTH  ANNIVERSARY  OF  THE  SETTLEMENT  OF 
MR.  BUXTON  IN  WEBSTER. 

When  most  men  start  out  for  to  make  a poem, 

They  pick  their  theme,  and  ask  the  Muse  to  show  ’em 
Why  this  and  that  thing  happened  as  they  did, 

And  thus  they’re  sure  to  know  what  else  were  hid. 


53 


They  take  for  theme  some  hero  of  renown, 

Some  mighty  battle  or  some  war-sacked  town, 

That  everybody  wants  to  know  about, 

And  having  learned  the  facts,  just  write  them  out. 

I don’t  see  why  men  write  of  “ spring,”  and  u snow,” 
And  “ heroes,”  “ gods,”  and  “ war,”  and  then  let  go 
Such  themes  as  “ honest  men”  and  patient  wives,” 
Who  toil  and  struggle  and  wear  out  their  lives 
In  doing  good  to  ordinary  man, 

And  doing  this,  serve  God  as  best  they  can. 

But  thus  it  is  : loud  deeds  and  men  are  sung, 

And  modesty  moves  not  the  Muse’s  tongue  ; 

And  from  this  fact,  through  all  the  ages  long, 

I doubt  if  ere  my  theme  was  writ  in  song, — 

For,  whosoever’s  ears  my  subject  jars  on, 

’Tis  simply  this,  “A  Long-loved  Country  Parson.” 

Well-nigh  a half  a century  ago, 

At  time  of  year  when  earth  is  clad  in  snow, — 

As  if  ’twere  fitting  his  first  look  should  be 
Upon  the  town  well  decked  in  purity, — 

There  came  to  Webster,  or  ’twas  Boscawen  then, 

One  of  the  noblest  of  earth’s  noble  men. 

And  why  a noble  man,  does  some  one  ask? 

To  tell  the  reasons  is  an  endless  task. 

What  has  he  done?  He’s  just  stayed  with  the  town, 
And  lifted  up,  when  other  things  pulled  down. 

What  did  he  come  for?  Not  for  gain,  ’tis  sure  : 

The  Webster  minister  is  always  poor  ; — 

Nor  did  he  come  for  fame  : fame  does  not  come 
To  Webster  people,  if  they  stay  at  home  ; — 

Nor  yet  for  power  : small  power  here  would  be  : 

The  Webster  people  never  bend  the  knee 
To  one  who  thinks  to  rule  with  iron  sway : 

If  one  should  come  for  this,  he’d  never  stay. 

What  did  he  come  for  to  this  lonely  town  ? 

He  came  at  duty’s  call,  without  a frown  ; 

He  came  to  minister,  to  preach  and  pray, 

To  do  men  good,  to  show  the  better  way 


54 


Up  from  this  black  sin-tarnished  mortal  life 
To  where  men  turn  to  angels  and  forget  all  strife. 

Of  course  he  preached  at  church — all  ministers  do  that : 
Of  course  he  wore  “ the  cloth,”  and  donned  a silken  hat 
Of  course  his  looks  were  grave,  his  bearing  dignified  : 
Of  course  at  him  the  young  eyes  opened  wide. 

All  these  things  were,  of  course,  to  be  expected ; 

But  still  some  other  actions  might  have  been  detected. 
When  to  the  grave  a mourning  band  was  brought, 

Their  souls  o’erburdened  with  the  heavy  thought 
That  one  was  gone,  it  was  this  reverend  man 
Who  taught  that  death  was  but  the  broken  span 
O’er  which  we  leap  from  nothingness  down  here, 

Up  to  infinity  in  a holier  sphere. 

When  youth  and  maiden  had  each  other  tried 
Until  their  hearts  in  unity  were  tied, 

His  was  the  word  that  made  the  knot  secure : 

As  two  they  came,  as  one  they  left  his  door. 

His  own  mind  filled  with  depths  of  hidden  lore, 

To  other  minds  he  opened  wide  the  store. 

He  loved  the  school ; — ah  ! what  a sight  for  pity 
The  truant  boy,  when  he  was  school  committee  ! 

Music  he  loved,  and  his  deep  soul  within 
He  oft  poured  forth  with  bow  and  violin  ; 

And  song  came  from  his  lips  with  potent  fire : 

Oh  ! how  he  will  enjoy  the  angel  choir  ! 

As  ever  at  early  dawn  was  seen  his  study  light, 

A beacon,  firm  set,  shining  into  night, 

So  have  his  pious  walk,  his  blameless  life, 

Shone  out  o’er  all  the  land,  with  blessings  rife  ; 

For  men,  whom  he  has  taught  by  word  and  deed 
Through  all  the  land,  still  reap  his  well-sowed  seed. 
Long  has  he  lived,  waited,  and  prayed,  and  worked, 

A quiet,  simple  man ; no  duty  shirked, 

No  word  unspoke  : his  life  a finished  shaft : 

His  soul  upon  the  Infinite  a well  set  graft. 

And  now,  perchance,  his  active  labors  o’er, 

Although  he  works  not  as  in  years  before, 


55 


Still  may  he  live,  and  by  his  actions  teach 
As  potently  as  parson  ere  could  preach. 

He  came  twoscore  and  five  long  years  ago  ; 

Here  has  his  form  been  bent,  his  head  turned  snow  ; — 
But  let  us  hope  long  years  before  him  yet, 

Ere  on  his  head  his  diadem  be  set. 


Chicago,  Dec.  9,  1882. 


Luther  B.  Little. 


The  following  poem,  by  Miss  Getchell,  of  Newbury- 
port,  Mass.,  was  not  received  until  after  the  celebra- 
tion closed. 

THE  PROPHET’S  RECKONING. 


I SAM.  : XI  AND  XII. 

The  sun  halts  over  Gilead ; 

The  tide  of  battle  stays  ; 

The  archers  and  the  men  of  might 
Pant  in  the  sultry  rays : 

The  long  fierce  shout  of  victory 
Rolls  thro’  the  bare  defiles, 

For  the  Ammonite  stout  is  put  to  rout, 
And  taken  in  his  wiles. 

A word  speeds  ’mong  the  swaying  host ; 

The  sling  drops,  and  the  spear : 

“ Saul  led  ye  on  to  conquest ; 

And  the  man  of  God  is  here  : 

Arise,  Judah  and  Israel ! 

To  Gilgal  haste  ye  on  ; 

Ye  must  crown  the  king  with  offering 
To  the  Lord,  ere  the  day  be  done.” 

On  Gilgal’s  place  of  sacrifice, 

By  the  rocky  altar’s  side, 

Stands  the  man  of  God,  while  circling  up 
The  smoke  floats  dense  and  wide. 


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His  tall  gaunt  frame  is  stooping, 

And  his  head  and  feet  are  bare ; 

O’er  his  shoulders  bowed,  like  a wind-swept  cloud, 
Fly  his  snowy  beard  and  hair. 

“Listen,  ye  men  of  Israel ! ” 

’Tis  the  prophet’s  solemn  voice  : — 

“I  have  hearkened  well  to  all  your  words ; 

Behold  your  kingly  choice  ! 

I am  old,  and  bent,  and  withered, 

My  head  has  long  been  gray  ; 

I have  borne  from  the  Lord  to  his  people  word, 
From  my  childhood  to  this  day. 

“ Hearken  ye  ! bear  me  witness  now, — 

When  have  I done  you  wrong? 

Whose  ox  or  ass  have  taken, 

The  weak  given  to  the  strong? 

Or  whom  oppressed,  defrauded?” 

And  the  people  cried  as  one, — 

“There  is  nothing  found  all  Israel  round 
Wherein  thou  wrong  hast  done  ! ” 

“ Hearken  yet,  men  of  Israel ! 

The  Lord  your  fathers  freed 
Of  old  from  Egypt’s  bondage  sore, 

And  ye  shall  be  indeed 
His  own,  his  chosen  people  still, 

If  ye  his  voice  obey, 

You  and  your  king  ever  following 
His  righteous  laws  alway. 

“As  for  me,  the  Lord  forbid  it 
That  I should  yield  to  sin, 

And  cease  to  pray  for  you,  or  teach 
The  way  of  right  to  win  ; 

But  fear  the  Lord,  and  while  ye  serve, 

His  benefits  rehearse, 

Else  he  will  efface  your  name  and  race, 

And  smite  you  with  his  curse.” 


57 


The  slow  years  swell  the  centuries 
Till  twenty-nine  are  told  ; 

And  now  the  cycle  is  complete, 

The  new  is  as  the  old  ; — 

But  from  peaceful  farms  and  firesides 
The  people  wend  their  way, 

With  no  warrior’s  shout,  nor  battle  rout, 

Nor  gory  marks  of  fray. 

Over  the  rocky  hillside  ways 
They  blithely  flock  to  meet 
Many  from  near  and  far  who  come 
With  gifts  and  cheer  to  greet 
Their  fathers’  teacher  and  their  own, 

Pastor  and  guide  and  seer, 

Who  from  his  place  cries  the  word  of  grace, 
Unwearied  from  year  to  year. 

Faithful  in  earnest  laboring, 

Patient,  exact,  and  just, 

Seeking  howe’er,  in  calm  or  storm, 

To  best  fulfil  his  trust ; — 

Now  in  life’s  later  afternoon; 

With  twilight  creeping  on, 

May  his  rest  be  sweet,  after  glare  and  heat, 
Of  a long  day’s  toil  well  done. 

“What  grows  upon  your  sterile  hills?” 

Was  asked  the  statesman  sage ; 

“In  ill-requited  toil  ye  spend 
Your  years  from  youth  to  age.” 

And  he  of  the  eagle-eye  made  speech 
E’en  the  simplest  might  understand  : 

“The  granite  rock  that  bears  Time’s  shock, 
And  the  brain  that  rules  the  land.” 

While  the  changeless  hills  like  sentinels 
Watch  o’er  the  fathers’  sleep, 

And  prophet  watchmen  stand  to  point 
The  way  their  sons  must  keep, — 

5 


58 


Following  the  path  they  trod  of  old, 

Who  fears  what  may  befall  ? 

Prosperity  crown  the  ancient  town, 

While  the  good  Lord  keeps  us  all ! 

Dec.  13,  1882. 

John  C.  Pearson,  a commissioner-elect  of  Merri- 
mack county,  and  who  was  for  many  years  one  of 
the  most  substantial  citizens  of  Webster,  recalled 
many  interesting  reminiscences,  and  closed  by  pay- 
ing a high  compliment  to  the  Boston  Daily  Journal, 
which  had  sent  a special  representative  to  report  the 
proceedings,  and  stated  that  the  Journal  had  been 
for  many  years  extensively  read  in  Webster,  and  had 
exerted  great  influence  in  shaping  public  opinion  in 
that  intelligent  community. 

The  exercises  of  the  evening  were  interspersed 
with  singing  of  sacred  music  of  the  olden  time. 

The  celebration,  which  had  been  from  the  begin- 
ning to  the  end  a complete  success  in  every  partic- 
ular, closed  with  singing  the  Doxology,  and  the  pro- 
nouncing of  the  benediction  by  Rev.  Mr.  Gordon. 





